On Fri 11 Jul 2014 at 19:52:38 -0400, Jerry Stuckle wrote:
> On 7/11/2014 5:06 PM, Brian wrote:
> > On Fri 11 Jul 2014 at 16:33:52 -0400, Jerry Stuckle wrote:
> >
> >> On 7/11/2014 3:25 PM, Brian wrote:
> >>
> >>> You are going to hate me for this: there is no "." after Mr; it is a
> >>> contraction. (Off-topic is that way ----------->).
> >>>
> >>
> >> No, it's an abbreviation, not a contraction. As a contraction it would
> >> be M'r.
> >
> > Contractions *are* abbreviations. The reverse doesn't apply.
> >
>
> No, there is a difference between a contraction and an abbreviation.
> "Can't" is a contraction. "Mr." is an abbreviation.
I see. "Can't" is not a shortened form (an abbreviation) of cannot.
> > Please say "e.g. Mr Smith".
> >
> > Louder, please. We cannot hear you.
> >
> > That's better.
> >
> > Now the difference between an abbreviation which is a contraction and
> > one which is not is clearer.
> >
> > Does the following make sense?
> >
> > Dr Moriarty, Prof. Andrews and Miss Gladstone all taught at the
> > University of St Andrews and worked at the BBC?
> >
> >
>
> Nope. It should be "Dr. Moriarty" and "St. Andrews". Both are
> abbreviations. If they were contractions, they should have an
> apostrophe (') in them.
You will have inform Dr Moriarty and the University of St Andrews:
http://www.boltonft.nhs.uk/consultants/dr-kieran-moriarty/
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
What are our univerities and the NHS (N.H.S.?) coming to?
> Contractions have apostrophes which replace the missing characters.
> Abbreviations are terminated with a '.'. If the word(s) is (are)
> shortened, you need one or the other.
>
> But then that is standard English, not British :)
I had forgotten about the use of the full stop in the USA.
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